That's the Way God Planned It (song)

"That's the Way God Planned It" is a song by American musician Billy Preston and the title track to his 1969 album of the same name. Issued as a single, the song was Preston's first release on the Beatles' Apple record label, following his guest role on the band's "Get Back" single. The lyrics to "That's the Way God Planned It" partly reflect the long musical apprenticeship Preston had served since childhood, mentored by artists such as Sam Cooke and Ray Charles,Wayne Robins, "Billy Preston", Creem, May 1974; available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required). while musically the track combines the gospel tradition with rock. Produced by George Harrison in London, the recording also features contributions from Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Ginger Baker and Doris Troy. Having been edited down to three minutes for its single release, the full version appeared on the album, as "That's the Way God Planned It (Parts 1 & 2)".

"That's the Way God Planned It" became an international hit, peaking at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart, and is one of Preston's best-known songs. Backed again by Harrison and Clapton, Preston sang it at the Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971 – a high-spirited performance that several commentators regard as a highlight of that historic show, after its inclusion in the 1972 concert film. The single then charted for a second time on the Billboard Hot 100 when reissued by Apple in the United States.

An early recording of the song, also from Preston's 1969 sessions in London, was included as a bonus track on the 1991 and 2010 remastered That's the Way God Planned It album. The 2002 reissue of Preston's Live European Tour album added a live version of "That's the Way God Planned It", recorded during the Rolling Stones' 1973 European tour.

Background and composition

A child prodigy, Billy Preston had worked as a backing musician for artists such as Mahalia Jackson,Bill Dahl, "Billy Preston", AllMusic (retrieved 19 September 2014). Little Richard and Ray Charles, and recorded for Vee Jay Records, before participating in the January 1969 sessions for the Beatles' Let It Be film project.Romanowski & George-Warren, pp. 786–87. Having provided a steadying influence during this troubled period in the Beatles' career,Doggett, p. 63. Preston received an unprecedented artist credit on their "Get Back" single that April, as well as a recording contract with the band's Apple record label.Clayson, p. 263.

In his liner notes to the 2010 reissue of That's the Way God Planned It, Preston's first Apple album, music journalist Andy Davis refers to the American musician's extended "apprenticeship", and quotes from a 1975 interview in which Preston said: "I’ve never asked anybody to help me or give me a break. What I don't have now I believe will come. Why? I have to say it's God … the God in me." Davis describes these sentiments as the "lyrical thrust" behind Preston's composition "That's the Way God Planned It".Liner notes by Andy Davis, That's the Way God Planned It CD (Apple Records/EMI, 2010; produced by George Harrison, Wayne Schuler & Ray Charles).

The song fuses the gospel and rock music genres.Leng, p. 60. With regard to the lyrics' humanitarian message, author Simon Leng refers to the song's "unaffected naiveté", while recognising its compatibility with the direction that Beatles guitarist George Harrison was pursuing throughout the band's final years.Leng, pp. 60, 117. Speaking at a fan convention in 1996, Preston credited Paul McCartney's composition "Let It Be" as his inspiration for writing "That's the Way God Planned It"."Billy Preston 'John Was the Boss Beatle'", YouTube, 29 October 2008 (retrieved 21 September 2014); event occurs between 5:38 and 5:52. Author John Winn notes similarities with both "Let It Be" and the middle-eight section of Harrison's composition "Something", which was also introduced during the Beatles' January 1969 sessions.Winn, p. 283.

Recording After Apple had extricated him from his existing contract, with Capitol Records,Leng, p. 59. Preston began recording the album with Harrison as his producer.Romanowski & George-Warren, p. 787. An early version of "That's the Way God Planned It" was taped with Preston on piano and vocal, accompanied by Harrison (on guitar) and two unnamed musicians, on bass and drums. This take features a slower tempo than the official version and incomplete lyrics.

The session for the song took place at Olympic Sound Studios in south-west LondonAlbum credits, That's the Way God Planned It CD (Capitol/Apple Records, 1991; produced by George Harrison, Wayne Schuler & Ray Charles). in April 1969. Harrison asked Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Ginger Baker to participate,Shea & Rodriguez, p. 261. about which Preston later said: "George said he'd invite some of his friends over to help out on my Apple debut, and I never dreamed he meant [Clapton, Richards and Baker]."Lois Wilson, "The Fifth Element", Mojo Special Limited Edition: 1000 Days of Revolution (The Beatles' Final Years – Jan 1, 1968 to Sept 27, 1970), Emap (London, 2003), p. 80. Like Harrison,Clayson, pp. 96–97, 263. Richards had met Preston earlier in the 1960s, when the Rolling Stones appeared on the popular music show Shindig! in Los Angeles in May 1965.Davis, p. 125.

With Preston on piano and Hammond organ, Harrison contributed the main electric guitar part, Richards played bass and Baker played drums; Clapton contributed the song's guitar solos.Liner notes by Andy Davis, Come and Get It: The Best of Apple Records CD (Apple Records/EMI, 2010; produced by Andy Davis & Mike Heatley).Wyman, p. 324. Musicologist Walter Everett highlights the start of the track among notable recordings on which the sustained striking of soft-headed mallets on crash cymbals "produce[s] a wonderful soft and shimmering roll", in this case generating "colorful interplay" with the organ part.Everett, p. 16. On the unedited version of the song, released on Preston's album, the track ends with a double-time section in which Preston and Clapton exchange solos, on Hammond organ and guitar, respectively.

The song's gospel-style backing vocals were sung by American singers Doris Troy and Madeline Bell,Leng, p. 61."Doris Troy", Apple Records (retrieved 19 September 2014). both of whom had recently supplied a gospel chorus to the Rolling Stones' song "You Can't Always Get What You Want".Davis, p. 280. Long a fan of Troy's own recordings,Clayson, pp. 171, 276. Harrison signed her as an Apple Records artist, producer and songwriter soon after this Preston session.Leng, pp. 60–61.

Release and reissues Apple issued "That's the Way God Planned It" as a single on 27 June 1969 in the United Kingdom (as Apple 12) and on 14 July in the United States (as Apple 1808).Castleman & Podrazik, p. 78.Miles, pp. 346, 347. The B-side was "What About You?",Spizer, p. 340. which Harrison also produced.Castleman & Podrazik, pp. 78, 208.

"That's the Way God Planned It" peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart,"Artist: The Beatles with Billy Preston", Official Charts Company (retrieved 18 September 2014)."That's the Way God Planned It", Apple Records (retrieved 18 September 2014). for two weeks."Billboard Hits of the World", Billboard, 16 August 1969, p. 79 (retrieved 19 September 2014). It reached number 7 on Melody Makers national chartCastleman & Podrazik, p. 339. and on Disc and Music Echos chart."Disc and Music Echo Top 30", Disc and Music Echo, 2 August 1969, p. 3. The song also placed in the top 30 on singles charts in Ireland, Australia, the Netherlands and New Zealand, and peaked at number 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 in AmericaCastleman & Podrazik, p. 351. and number 61 on Canada's RPM listings. In a 1979 interview, Preston attributed the single's comparative lack of success in North America to inexperience on the part of Apple Records, saying: "At that time, the company didn't really know how to promote – because you didn't have to promote a Beatle record!"John Abbey, "Billy Preston: No Longer Going Round In Circles!", Blues & Soul, October 1979; available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required).

The song appeared as the final track on That's the Way God Planned It,Castleman & Podrazik, p. 80. released in August 1969.Miles, p. 350. Titled "That's the Way God Planned It (Parts 1 & 2)", this version extended to 5:34 in length compared to the 3:22 edit on the single.Castleman & Podrazik, pp. 78, 80. In his liner notes for the album, Apple press officer Derek Taylor described Preston as "the best thing to happen to Apple this year", adding: "He's young and beautiful and kind and he sings and plays like the son of God."Sleeve notes, That's the Way God Planned It LP (Apple Records, 1969; produced by George Harrison & Wayne Schuler).

Apple reissued the single in the United States in 1972, by which point Preston had left the label for A&M Records and was enjoying his first major US chart success.Winn, pp. 283–84. The release took place on 26 June 1972 and the song returned to the Billboard Hot 100,Castleman & Podrazik, pp. 78, 353. peaking at number 65."Billboard Hot 100 for week end August 26, 1972", Billboard, 26 August 1972, p. 78 (retrieved 23 February 2017). After an initial release on CD in November 1991,Badman, p. 470. That's the Way God Planned It was remastered and reissued in October 2010, as part of the Apple Box Set.Joe Marchese, "Review: The Apple Records Remasters, Part 4 – Harrison's Soulful Trio", The Second Disc, 18 November 2010 (retrieved 18 September 2014). Both of these reissues added the slower, early version of "That's the Way God Planned It". The original single edit also appeared on Apple's multi-artist compilation Come and Get It: The Best of Apple Records.Stephen Thomas Erlewine, "Various Artists Come and Get It: The Best of Apple Records", AllMusic (retrieved 18 September 2014). In 2012, the song was covered by Ivan Kelley, Jr. in the film Joyful Noise, starring Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah.James Christopher Monger, "Original Soundtrack Joyful Noise (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)", AllMusic (retrieved 4 October 2016).

Reception Writing in the NME in July 1969, Richard Green described the single as an "amazing record", adding: "If ever there was a 'natural' for the charts, Billy Preston's 'That's The Way God Planned It' … is it."Richard Green, "New to the Charts: Billy's a Natural", NME, 12 July 1969, p. 2; available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required). In Melody Maker, Chris Welch wrote: "this is superb, with Clappers and Peter Edward [Baker] playing in relaxed but heavy style, and Billy singing with full maturity. Destined to be a mammoth hit."Chris Welch, "Rolling Stones, John & Yoko et al Singles", Melody Maker, 5 July 1969; available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required). Billboard magazine's reviewer said: "Preston's move to the Apple label proves a strong one via this blockbuster blues item with meaningful lyric line. Driving rhythm backs the potent vocal workout."Billboard Review Panel, "Spotlight Singles", Billboard, 19 July 1969, p. 77. In his role as "Hit Talk" columnist for Disc and Music Echo in August, Desmond Dekker described the song as "catchy" and said Preston was "very talented" and a "good Beatles discovery".

More recently, AllMusic critic Bruce Eder has written of "That's the Way God Planned It": "one of the best production jobs that Harrison ever delivered; aglow in a swelling gospel-style organ and rippling with bluesy electric guitar, a chorus soaring high over all of that, and Preston's career-defining vocal performance at its center, the song was irresistible."Bruce Eder, "Billy Preston That's the Way God Planned It", AllMusic (retrieved 18 September 2014).